Neuroblastoma Cell - Oligodendrocyte Interaction Is Mediated by Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules

The role of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in the interaction between neurons and oligodendrocytes was studied using N2A neuroblastoma cells, which express only the 180,000 Mr NCAM and rat oligodendrocytes which express only 120,000 Mr NCAM. Oligodendrocytes bound to neuroblastoma cells, and the binding was inhibited by anti-NCAM, suggesting that NCAM is involved in oligodendrocyte-neuron interaction. The possible role of NCAM in myelination and remyelination is discussed.